Harvard plans to borrow $750 million amid funding threats
- Harvard is facing scrutiny and potential funding cuts due to alleged antisemitic themes in campus protests.
- The university intends to issue up to $750 million in taxable bonds for general corporate purposes.
- This financial strategy is part of broader contingency preparations in reaction to federal funding uncertainties.
Harvard University, facing uncertainty regarding federal funding, announced plans to borrow $750 million from Wall Street. This decision comes in response to the Trump administration's review of $9 billion in federal grants and contracts to scrutinize alleged antisemitism on campus. Harvard's financial maneuvers are particularly critical as it navigates its $53 billion endowment—the largest among U.S. universities—and has previously issued significant bonds this fiscal year. University leadership, led by President Alan Garber, has acknowledged the challenges posed by escalating scrutiny regarding campus protests that have included antisemitic themes. The university has previously supported free tuition for low-income families, a program that will expand in 2025, but current pressures may necessitate a reassessment of its financial strategies for future funding as it grapples with the implications of federal intervention. With historical tensions surrounding Israel's actions following attacks by Hamas in Gaza, the climate on campus has led to heightened debates about antisemitism and freedom of speech, prompting calls for institutional changes to strengthen commitments against discrimination.